After Hurricane Irene swept through The Bahamas, top management at Sandals knew some landscaping would be in order. Adam Stewart, the CEO of Sandals, only realized the extent of the damage when he saw it for himself. Suddenly, a few trees has become a meticulous $17.5 million facelift.
"We didn't expect it ... we were overseas in Jamaica when the storm hit, and by the time we arrived in Nassau and saw the extent of the damage, we felt the hotel could not remain open that way," he told Guardian Business. "So we seized the opportunity. Before we knew it, an entire building was gutted."
In a move expected to place the luxurious, all-inclusive resort "right at the top", Sandals is currently in the midst of a full-scale renovation of the Manor Building at the Sandals Royal Bahamian. A total of 144 rooms will be "brand, spanking new", according to Butch Stewart, the Chairman of Sandals.
They are 15 percent larger, far more luxurious and 42 of the rooms have been "pushed out" towards the ocean, he said. Work is expected to be completed by the beginning of 2012. He added that one of the main pools have also been redone, including new tiling, a refurbished bar and construction of a new deck surrounding it. The resort's bars and restaurants are receiving some attention as well, and 11,000 new plants now decorate the grounds.
"The big item though is we've built a new block of rooms," Gordon Stewart said. "It's really going to be a magnificent job. We had looked at the manor with an idea to modernize, but this time, we decided not [to] do the typical refurnishing. We'll make brand new rooms out of it. The hurricane battered and bruised the resort, and on that basis, we noticed some leaks. After bad things you have to make good things and this puts us in a far more competitive position."
Adam Stewart explained they are now in the process of finalizing details with the interior designers, selecting colors and choosing the marble finishings in the bathrooms. In addition to being larger and more luxurious, he highlighted the 42 rooms that face the ocean and the company's private island. The idea is for guests to not only have balconies, but also extended outside areas by running staircases down onto the beach and fire pits.
This multi-million-dollar expansion is now the largest known refurnishing in The Bahamas since Hurricane Irene pounded the country. One & Only Ocean Club underwent some minor landscaping work, representatives said, and Breezes SuperClubs told Guardian Business last month that it's pushing forward with $2 million in repairs.
The latter will be closed until November as work is completed. However, Adam Stewart felt you "can't put them in the same sentence", as Sandals has high expectations for the $17.5 overhaul. Meanwhile, at Atlantis, various projects are in different stages of development.
George Markantonis, the President and Managing Director of Kerzner International Bahamas, said earlier that their "capital expenditure every year probably could buy several hotels", and the opening of Virgils Barbecue restaurant in the Coral Towers, a $10 million-plus project, is scheduled to open in November.
And of course, just down the road from Sandals, Baha Mar, the $2.6 billion project, is picking up steam as construction continues. However, this recent $17.5 million renovation at Sandals isn't the only project for the company in 2011. Sandals Emerald Bay has also seen major work done in the last few months.
According to the company's latest figures, the Exuma resort has added 66 additional rooms and two new restaurants. It acquired a residential building adjacent to the resort to pull off the expansion. Work is ongoing to the resort's golf course, as well as the construction of the Shark Shack - an exclusive golfer's lounge.
More than 100 permanent employees had been added to the roster. All told, construction at the Exuma property has totalled $24 million, bringing the company's Bahamas investment in 2011 up to an whopping $41.5 million. "This is taking the hotel to another level," Adam Stewart said.
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